Utility Of Autologous Blood Donation Research Articles

A survey of factors determining the utilization of autologous blood donation in hip replacement surgery.

A prospective survey was conducted among anaesthesiologists to determine their criteria for excluding a patient from autologous blood donation prior to total hip prosthesis. Information on patients operated on during a 5-week period was obtained using a questionnaire, consisting of a set of possible responses to simple questions, matched with some parametric values. Sixty-eight of the 99 patients included in the survey underwent surgery without donation. Age was the main cause for exclusion (34%). The age of patients excluded because of their age alone was 75 +/- 11 years (standard deviation). The age of patients excluded from donation and who did not subsequently receive homologous blood was comparable with that of patients not autotransfused but who received homologous blood (68 +/- 4 vs. 69 +/- 6 years, respectively). Post-operative haemoglobin concentrations were similar whether transfusion was performed or not, and regardless of the origin of blood given. Since age is no longer taken into consideration at the time of transfusion, it is likely that exclusion of a patient from autologous blood donation because of age is an arbitrary choice.

A survey of factors determining the utilization of autologous blood donation in hip replacement surgery

A prospective survey was conducted among anaesthesiologists to determine their criteria for excluding a patient from autologous blood donation prior to total hip prosthesis. Information on patients operated on during a 5-week period was obtained using a questionnaire, consisting of a set of possible responses to simple questions, matched with some parametric values. Sixty-eight of the 99 patients included in the survey underwent surgery without donation. Age was the main cause for exclusion (34%). The age of patients excluded because of their age alone was 75±11 years (standard deviation). The age of patients excluded from donation and who did not subsequently receive homologous blood was comparable with that of patients not autotransfused but who received homologous blood (68±4 vs. 69±6 years, respectively). Post-operative haemoglobin concentrations were similar whether transfusion was performed or not, and regardless of the origin of blood given. Since age is no longer taken into consideration at the time of transfusion, it is likely that exclusion of a patient from autologous blood donation because of age is an arbitrary choice.

Donation of blood by the pregnant patient for autologous transfusion

A study was conducted to determine the safety and utility of autologous blood donation in third trimester pregnancy. Thirty-seven obstetric patients, 32 with an obstetric risk factor, donated an average of 485 ml of blood. Twenty-one of the 37 patients were expected to undergo cesarean section. Nonstress testing was performed before and after phlebotomy. Continuous fetal heart rate monitoring was maintained throughout the donation, which lasted an average of 9 minutes. All nonstress test results were normal before and after the phlebotomy except in one case. All fetal heart rates remained stable during phlebotomy and premature labor was not precipitated. All fetal outcomes were normal. One patient delivered on the day of phlebotomy, 6 hours after the procedure. Only one of the autologous units was used, in a patient who had a pelvic infection and moderate anemia. The incidence of primary cesarean section was 35%. Phlebotomy of the mother appears to be safe for the fetus at term. Further investigation is needed to determine the safety of removal of more than 1 unit of blood and blood donation at earlier gestational ages.